Nature's lab for derivatization: new and revised structures of a variety of streptophenazines produced by a sponge-derived Streptomyces strain.

Eight streptophenazines (A-H) have been identified so far as products of Streptomyces strain HB202, which was isolated from the sponge Halichondria panicea from the Baltic Sea. The variation of bioactivities based on small structural changes initiated further studies on new derivatives. Three new streptophenazines (I-K) were identified after fermentation in the present study.

Genetic approach for the fast discovery of phenazine producing bacteria.

A fast and efficient approach was established to identify bacteria possessing the potential to biosynthesize phenazines, which are of special interest regarding their antimicrobial activities. Sequences of phzE genes, which are part of the phenazine biosynthetic pathway, were used to design one universal primer system and to analyze the ability of bacteria to produce phenazine. Diverse bacteria from different marine habitats and belonging to six major phylogenetic lines were investigated.